The Strange Behavior

Ashi sat alone in her room, staring out of the window with a blank expression on her face. She had been released from the hospital, but her mind was still trapped in the trauma of the incident. Her behaviour had changed, and she had become distant from her friends Manasvi and Nishant, who had been by her side throughout her recovery.

As she sat there, lost in her thoughts, she began to feel a strange sensation. It was like a tingling in her fingertips, a pulsating energy that seemed to be coming from deep within her. At first, she tried to ignore it, but the feeling grew stronger and more persistent.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and decided to get up and explore her surroundings. As she walked around her room, she felt the energy growing stronger and more intense. She began to notice things she hadn't seen before, like a faint glowing light emanating from the objects around her.

Her curiosity grew, and she felt compelled to investigate further. She opened her door and stepped out into the hallway, where she saw a man walking towards her. He had a kind face and a gentle smile, and Ashi felt drawn to him.

As he approached her, he held out his hand and said, "Come with me, Ashi. I have something to show you."

Without hesitation, Ashi took his hand and followed him down the hallway. She didn't know where she was going or what she was about to see, but she felt a sense of excitement and adventure that she had never experienced before.

Ashi felt a sudden rush of energy flowing through her body as the man's hand touched her head. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, the images flashing in her mind were of ancient rituals, sacrifices, and the power of the axe stone. As the visions subsided, she found herself standing in front of that man, still in a state of shock.

That man looked at Ashi with a mixture of concern and curiosity. He knew that the power of the axe stone was not to be taken lightly and he wondered how Ashi had come to possess it. He started explaining to her the history of the stone, how it was created by ancient sorcerers to harness the energy of the universe and how it had been lost for centuries.

As he spoke, Ashi couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with the story. It was as if she had heard it before, but she couldn't remember where. That man , noticed her confusion and asked if she was alright.

Ashi shook her head and told the guy about the strange dreams she had been having ever since she found the stone. He listened intently, and then nodded as if he had figured something out.

He took her hand and led her to a dark corner of a building where he showed her an old, dusty book. The book was filled with ancient symbols and diagrams that Ashi had never seen before. he flipped through the pages and then pointed to a particular symbol.

"This is the symbol of the Axe Stone," he said. "It's a powerful talisman that has been passed down through generations. You were chosen to possess it now, Ashi. And it is not just by co incidence I've been following your reincarnation through centuries."

Ashi's mind was racing with questions, but before she could ask, he put his hand on her head again and showed her a vision where, she saw herself wielding the Axe Stone, fighting against dark forces that threatened to destroy the goodness and well being of the villages and other decent people.

As the vision faded, Ashi realized that she had a purpose, a destiny that she couldn't ignore. She looked at the man with determination and asked him who he is?", The guy looked at her and then smiled

"You'll know about me when the time comes, one of your friend will tell you shortly".

Ashi's eyes fluttered open as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. It took her a few seconds to realise that she was lying on her bed in her room, and that the events of the previous night had been a dream. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, feeling groggy and disoriented.

As she tried to shake off the sleep, she heard a faint knocking on her door. She called out for the person to come in, and Nishant entered the room with a worried look on his face.

"Hey, are you okay? I've been knocking for a while now and you didn't answer," Nishant said as he approached her bed.

Ashi rubbed her temples, trying to clear her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just had a weird dream," she replied.

Nishant nodded, still looking concerned. "Okay, but you've been acting really strange lately. You haven't been talking to us or leaving the house. Is something bothering you?"

Ashi felt a pang of guilt as she realized that she had been neglecting her friends. "I'm sorry, Nishant. I've just been going through a lot lately, and I didn't want to burden you guys with my problems, again."

Nishant sat down on the edge of the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. "We're your friends, Ashi. We're here to support you no matter what. So, tell us what's going on. Maybe we can help."

Ashi took a deep breath and started to recount the strange dreams she had been having lately, including the one she just had about that guy who told and made her saw different visions in her dream and the ancient axe stone. Nishant listened intently, his expression growing more and more serious as she spoke.

After she finished, there was a moment of silence as Nishant processed everything she had told him. Then, he looked at her with a determined expression. "We need to wait until Kali comes back, I'm sure she must be gathering really necessary information, when she comes back we'll together figure out what's going on." She must be back by tomorrow, and Manasvi is coming to accompany too in sometime.

Ashi felt a surge of gratitude for her friend. She knew she couldn't face these strange occurrences alone. "Thank you, Nishant. I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

Nishant takes Ashi's hand in his and then start to make her feel comfortable by gently pressing it.

"Ashi, you and Manasvi are the two closest persons to me I ever had in my life so far, and Since the day we got inside that building everything just changed so drastically. It seems like we all are getting apart due to that weird piece of stone. Since the day we came back from that building strange things in our lives are going continuously, not only about your health but me and Manasvi too." Nishant Said.

Ashi made a worried face and asked him, "Are you in trouble too, what happened to you guys? Are you feeling sick?", Ashi threw questions one after another.

"No, no, we are not sick or in trouble like you. But what I mean is about, Manasvi too became very distant with me these days. After your return from the hospital. Manasvi and me we talked just a few times. She is not coming to meet me. Even today I had to argue with her so that she come here to accompany us." , Nishant continued her talks.

"Manasvi, also is getting more angry these past few days and I don't know why she is somewhat obsessive with finding that building again. I told her multiple times that we should not look for something that dangerous all by ourself but she is hell bent on finding and exploring inside that house again."

Ashi gave a reaction of wonder, remembering that she went back into that building with the guy in her dream and found that book in which the talisman was mention and drawn. Ashi then move her head and her glance catches something brownish below her pillow.

Nishant too follows Ashi's eyes and looked into the same direction, there was something below the pillow and it was very old, and it has some many dust over it. Ashi moved her hand and started pulling that thing from under the pillow and found out that it was the same book she saw in her dream. Shockingly she started staring at that book, Nishant too started looking towards the book.

"What the hell! , where did you found it and this looks so old. why is something like this is below your pillow", Nishant asked.

Ashi was stunned and looked at the book and got stunned, She mentioned that it is same book she saw in her dream. Right at that moment they heard someone rushing towards them.

"Sorry, guys I got so late. I'd to finish some really urgent work", Manasvi stated while entering the room and she was panting. Manasvi saw that book in Ashi's hand and stared at it.

"What is this weird looking book, it looks so old like has been kept since centuries.", Manasvi stated.

Nishant and Ashi both looked at her, Her hairs was messy, she was panting hard and there were stains all over her clothes. Even her jeans looked ripped out from the ankle area. She was wearing a yellow loose top and a blue faded bootcut jeans, with some accessories in her right hand like a blue coloured band.

"Why are you such a mess, Manasvi and I was trying to call you since an hour earlier !", Nishant asked.

"Ok, seeing you both here I'm really happy guys. But looking at your condition lemme go and grab a glass of water" , Ashi then started moving outside of her room keeping that book on the shelve.

Manasvi, throws her bag on Ashi's bed and sit by taking a deep breath, and takes a look at the book. Then turn her head towards Nishant with a smile and ask him.

"Were you worried about me ?"

"Yes, Of course! I was worried about you, It is almost 5 days you didn't even picked up my call, stopped responding to my texts. And today somehow you agreed to pick up my call and meet us. Then I see you in this condition. What just happened to you?", Nishant replied in a state of worried expressions.

"Aww! you look so cute when you are worried for me. I was just going through my stuff few days nothing else you know girl problems", Manasvi winked at him and closes the distance between both of them. She put her hand on his head and sprinkled his curly hairs.

"Heyyy!!.. what the hell are you doing. You are so weird." Nishant asked her to stop and she started Laughing.

Ashi was there in the room by now smiling and gave the glass of water to Manasvi. She gulped the water like she was really thirsty.

"Thank you, so much for it sweetheart. I was really dry from the throat", Manasvi stated.

"You look horrible you know that", Ashi smiled while saying that.

"Yeah, Yeah I know I know. But I still look as breathtaking as ever , Right Nishu", Manasvi replied while looking at Nishant who was trying to find something below the book shelves in the room. He completely ignored what Manasvi said, and was continuously searching.

"Hey, mr. dumbhead ! what are you searching there ?" , Manasvi Asked in a high tone.

"That book, I am pretty sure Ashi just kept it right there, but it is not here anymore." Nishant replied in a suspicious voice.

Both of them looked and yes he was right the book wasn't there. Ashi strangely started panicking while Manasvi still keeping her calm trying to find the book in different areas of the room. Ashi was certain that she placed the book in her shelve. After few minuted of searching, Nishant's eyes catch a view of Manasvi's bag. And he see a opened chain and some old yellow pages of something. He rushed towards her bag and start searching inside it.

"Hey! what are you doing, why did you check my bag without my permission.", Manasvi snatched the bag in anger but by then Nishant pulled out the book and it was the same book which, Ashi kept on her shelve.

"What the hell, how did it reach your bag", Nishant asked.

"How did I know", Manasvi's expressions were completely lost and she was completely confused.

"I was here talking with you the whole time didn't even moved towards that area, right. Then how did it reached my bag ? ", Manasvi continued.

Ashi and both of her friends are shocked and then they stared at each other and then gave the same look to that book. Ashi's mind raced as she tried to come up with an explanation, but she couldn't think of anything that made sense.

Manasvi snatched the book out of the Nishant's hands and opened it right away.

"Hey, What are you doing. You are behaving so strange since the time you came here", Nishant shouted on her.

She glanced at him in upsetting manner and Nishant then kept himself shut.

"Something is definitely off with her today, She's not behaving herself from past few days", Nishant thought in his head.

Manasvi started to flip the pages. As she turned each page, she found nothing but blank sheets. Disappointed, she was about to close the book when she noticed something strange about the middle page.

The page was yellowed and brittle, unlike the other pages of the book which seemed new. The writing on it was in an old script, which Manasvi recognized as Sanskrit. She squinted to read the words, but it was written in a language she did not know. The letters looked foreign, and they were swirling around in an intricate pattern.

Manasvi Tried to read out loud but not able to complete it, she said

"दिव्यः सुरक्षितं त्वां आत्मानं च धातुं च। सर्वं समृद्धं भवतु, महती शक्तिः समर्थयतु॥ दिव्यस्य आवश्यकतां पूर्णाय देयं, जन्म-जन्मान्तरालंबनं भवतु। कालः"

Then Ashi completes the whole chant continuing without even looking at the book

"अपने धारां न बहुलीकरोतु। सत्य ज्ञानात्मक दृष्टिः सम्यग्दृष्टिर्भवतु, दिव्ये अध्यात्मिके विश्वात्मनि संयोगः॥"

The whole of this chant means

"May the divine protect thy soul and spirit, let everything be nourished, may great energy work to fulfill the needs of the divine, let reincarnation be connected and time should stop the flow of its moments, and may the ability to seek truth make divine vision to see through dimensions."

Manasvi and Nishant were flattered and asked Ashi how did she knew about it.

"Did you read it already ?", Manasvi asked

"No I didn't even know how did I got this book and, howw... haww... Manass... head..", While saying her thoughts Ashi suddenly fell unconscious and fell on the floor with a loud sound."